Charles Town Announces Fifth Annual Race for the Ribbon

Charles Town Announces Fifth Annual Race for the Ribbonhttp://www.paulickreport.com/news/thoroughbred-racing/charles-town-announces-fifth-annual-race-for-the-ribbon/Thoroughbred News

For the fifth consecutive year, Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races is proudly partnering with the West Virginia affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure Foundation to present the Race for the Ribbon on Saturday, September 21 to benefit breast cancer research. The Race for the Ribbon along with a showcase of ten other races will total over $1 million in stakes purses for the day. Proceeds from a special breast cancer walk on the race track and other festive events will be donated to Susan G. Komen for the Cure—WV Affiliate and help to eradicate breast cancer.

On Saturday, September 21, each and every donation made will help fund education, screenings and treatment services across 55 counties in West Virginia. Each $25 donation made by participants of the breast cancer walk around the track will come with a commemorative t-shirt. Additionally, a pink lemonade stand, silent auction, and pink hat contest will be held throughout the day. The patron judged to be wearing the finest pink hat will be awarded a cash prize of $500; second place will receive $250 and third place $100 respectively.

“We look forward to once again partnering with Susan G. Komen’s West Virginia affiliate to raise both funds and awareness to fight a disease that’s impacted so many of us, our families and friends” said Al Britton, Charles Town’s General Manager. “Combining a great cause with a great schedule of events culminating with an exciting night of thoroughbred racing has made it a rewarding and fun experience for everyone involved over the last few years.”

The night of racing is enhanced from the previous Race for the Ribbon cards and now includes both the $400,000 Charles Town Oaks and $400,000 Researcher for three-year-olds. The Charles Town Oaks stands behind only the Grade 1 Test at Saratoga on the list of the richest sprints for three-year-old fillies in the country, while the Researcher checks in behind only the Grade 1 King’s Bishop in terms of the nation’s most lucrative sprints for three-year-old colts and geldings.

“With the calendar in June and July crowded for a race like the Researcher, we saw a chance to move it to this day in September and help make the Race for the Ribbon card just that much more visible,” explained Charles Town’s Vice President of Racing Operations Erich Zimny. “Four horses in last year’s Charles Town Oaks came out of the Test and with the King’s Bishop being run on the same day, we’re hoping it has the same effect as a feeder race for the Researcher.”

Last year’s Charles Town Oaks was won by the second betting choice in the Test and eventual Grade I winner Book Review, while the Researcher (formerly the Red Legend) was captured by Sum of the Parts. Past winners of the Researcher include 2010 Breeders’ Cup Sprint winner Big Drama and J P’s Gusto. In addition to the two marquee races, the $50,000 Pink Ribbon will once again bear the name of the day’s theme and be run as one of the six stakes on the program.

All told, the festivities on Saturday, September 21 will include:

10:30am – Registration for the Breast Cancer walk around the track

12:00pm – Breast cancer walk around the track (weather permitting)

5:00pm – Start of silent auction on third floor of Skyline Terrace Ballroom

5:00pm – Post time for the 1st race

8:00pm – Judging for Pink Hat Contest, with $500 prize to the winner

8:45pm – $50,000 Pink Ribbon S.

9:55pm – $400,000 Researcher S.

10:00pm – Silent auction ends

10:30pm – $400,000 Charles Town Oaks

The full lineup of stakes races and special events at Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races on Race for the Ribbon day is comprised of:

Charles Town Oaks, $400,000, Fillies 3YO, 7 furlongs

Researcher S., $400,000 3YO, 7 furlongs

Wild & Wonderful S., $85,000, 3&up, 7 furlongs

The Pink Ribbon, $50,000, Fillies & Mares 3&up, 7 furlongs

Rachel’s Turn Stakes, $50,000, WV-bred Fillies 2YO, 4 ½ furlongs

Henry Mercer Memorial, $50,000, WV-bred 2YO, 4 ½ furlongs

A quartet of West Virginia-bred handicaps serving as prep races for West Virginia Breeders’ Classics XXVII on October 19 will be announced at a later date. The stakes portion of the Race for the Ribbon card will be televised by HRTV, who will once again provide in-studio coverage of the event.